CLARKSVILLE, TN – Inside a simulation room at Austin Peay State University, senior criminal justice major Nathan Robertson locked eyes with an AI-generated suspect whose story was already unraveling.
Leaning forward and adjusting his VR headset, Robertson pressed harder, using the confrontational Reid technique he learned in class. Minutes later, the suspect broke, confessing to armed robbery and naming his accomplice.
Although the interrogation was virtual, the skills Robertson and his classmates gained were very real. The exercise was part of a larger effort to integrate VR into the Department of Criminal Justice and gave students a chance to question suspects without leaving campus…